Home Alone Director Slams Franchise's 'Really Bad Sequels'

The filmmaker behind the original Home Alone movies has spoken out about what went wrong with the beloved holiday franchise. Chris Columbus, who directed the first two films, didn't hold back during a recent Academy Museum screening when discussing the series' decline.

When Things Started Going Wrong

Columbus pointed to Home Alone 3 as the turning point where everything began falling apart. The director, who also helmed Home Alone 2: Lost in New York, made it clear that subsequent entries completely missed what made the original films special.

"It's been revisited with really bad sequels," Columbus stated bluntly. "Sorry to insult anybody, but they've completely fucked it up. It started with Home Alone 3 and then it just went downhill from there; Home Alone 3 is sort of the best of the bunch of the bad movies."

The Problem with Modern Effects

According to Columbus, one major issue plaguing later installments involves the use of wirework for stunts. He believes this approach strips away the authentic feel that made the original slapstick comedy so effective, creating what he calls a "false sense of the stunt."

The director's criticism likely extends beyond just the third film, potentially encompassing Home Alone 4 from 2002, Home Alone: The Holiday Heist from 2012, and the most recent entry, Home Sweet Home Alone, which arrived in 2021.

A Different Vision for the Future

Meanwhile, original star Macaulay Culkin has pitched his own idea for bringing the franchise back. During his nostalgic tour, Culkin outlined a concept where Kevin McCallister returns as an adult with his own child.

"I'm working really hard and I'm not really paying enough attention and the kid is kind of getting miffed at me and then I get locked out. He won't let me in… and he's the one setting traps for me," Culkin explained, describing a role reversal that could breathe new life into the series.